West of Arandelle
by EyesOnly-with-wifi
Summary: When Elsa is invited to be the Wizard of Oz's apprentice she is elated. That is, until she discovers the real reason why she was given this job.


I.

From the minute she was born her family denied her very existence. Well, the ones who knew about it did. Her mother Melena was I'll and her sisters Elphaba and Nessarose were too young to understand what was going on. The charge of the baby then fell to her father Frex who hastily named her Elsa and began looking into putting her up for adoption. He took no notice of her intelligent blue eyes, nor her snowy white hair, nor her musical laugh like tinkling bells. To his ears it sounded like shattering glass.

A mere few days later it was all arranged. A couple in the Vinkus, Baxiana and Marillot Tigelaar, had agreed to take her in to raise with their young son Fiyero. It was no surprise when the fateful day came that it was cold and foggy and the rain was coming down in sheets. The carriage pulled up outside the Thropp residence and the driver, a burly man named Tob, shook his head sadly. Poor little thing, only a few months old and already going out into the world on her own. He clucked to his horse and they set off. It was dark and the lantern cast shadows that danced on the trees. Every sound made the horse tense. Tob had a bad feeling about this. A bird flew out of the bushes and spooked the horse, sending Tob into the bushes and the horse running with the carriage careering after it. Time seemed to slow down as Tob commando-rolled out of the bush, scrambled to his feet and lept at the carriage. He crashed to the ground, but not before he caught the harness of the horse. The whites of its eyes were showing and it was panting.

"There there, Ginger, it was just a bird," soothed Tob, stroking the horse's nose. Slowly, they carried on with their journey.

It was late evening by the time they reached the castle of Kiamo Ko. Baxiana rushed out to meet the driver and the baby, shadowed by a dark-haired toddler sucking his thumb and shyly hiding behind her skirts.

"Oh, she's beautiful," gasped Baxiana, taking baby Elsa in her arms.

Marillot pointed towards Elsa. "Fiyero, this is your new sister. Are you going to take good care of her?"

Fiyero nodded earnestly, stretching up on tiptoe to see the baby his mother was cradling.

Marillot ruffled his son's hair. "Good boy."

Under the care of the Tigelaars, Elsa grew into a genuinely nice and caring person. As she stood in her room, preparing for bed, a cool breeze ruffled her hair. These random gusts seemed to turn up at the most opportune moments. Almost as if the weather could feel her thoughts which was, of course, a completely absurd notion. The wind gathered force and lifted up her cloak. It flapped around her as she leaned against the wall, sank to the floor and rested her head on her knees.

II.

"Happy birthday," Elsa said to her reflection. She was a fairly ordinary only-just-turned-fourteen-year-old girl. Slim, average height, long white-blonde hair which she usually wore in a braid over one shoulder.

"ELSA! You're going to be late!" bellowed Fiyero from the bottom of the staircase. Pulling on her cloak, she raced down and begun her farewells. She thanked Baxiana and Marillot for everything and gave them both a tearful hug.

"We're so proud of you," said Baxiana, and Marillot nodded in agreement.

"Good luck," said Fiyero, wrapping her in a huge hug. Elsa was going to miss her best friend, her teacher, her playmate, her brother Fiyero more than anyone.

"I promise I'll write," she said before her words were drowned out by the arrival of the train. As she boarded, Elsa chose a window seat and waved until she could no longer see her family.

Calmed by the steady click clack of the wheels and the cool glass of the window against her forehead, Elsa hadn't realised she was beginning to drowse until the conductor called, "tickets!" As she presented her card, the conductor asked her if she was headed to Shiz University.

"Actually I'm going to the Emerald City," she explained. "I've been offered an apprenticeship by the Wizard."

"Congratulations! Best of luck with that, dearie," said the conductor, moving on to the next carriage and leaving Elsa alone with her thoughts. She could scarcely believe it herself. The Wizard of Oz had written to the Tigelaars asking if they could spare their daughter for a few months to work as his apprentice! Based on her test scores, he felt she would be a good person to learn all about the workings of Oz. She watched as the country flew past her window in a blur of emerald. They were nearly there.

III.

Elsa entered the palace and was asked her name by an older woman wearing in an obnoxious red dress that looked like it was worth more money than the building they were stood in. She had barely finished saying 'Elsa' when she was propelled down a dizzying maze of coridoors and ordered into a pitch-black room.

"This is Elsa, your Ozness," said the secretary. With a mechanical whir the throne lit upnto reveal a large golden head with glowing eyes. Elsa started and took a step back.

"Madam Morrible, look, you've scared her," said the head in a deep, booming voice.

"It can talk," gasped Elsa, pointing a shaky finger at the head. The secretary, Madam Morrible, sighed and pushed the young girl towards the head before turning to leave.

"No, don't go!" begged Elsa, but the door swung closed with a definitive thump.

"Pay no attention to the figure on the throne," said the voice of an old man as he came out from behind the machinery. "I'm Oscar Zoroaster Diggs, or Oz as the people here call me. Anyways, might as well get started." He gave her a tour of the palace and Elsa honestly tried to listen, but she couldn't stop thinking about how, well, ordinary he seemed. She had expected the Great and Terrible Oz to be much more powerful and, quite frankly, less egotistical. "Would you like to were them?" asked the Wizard.

"What? Yes, of course," she replied. Her new boss left to find Oz-knows-what, giving her the chance to admire her surroundings. A stone room with an intricately patterned rug and a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf containing all manner of whimsical things. But what really caught her eye was the tapestry above the fireplace depicting the Time Dragon Clock. While she was taking in the intricacy of the stitching, she noticed a strange smell and saw with a sickening sense that it was on fire. She cast around desperately for something, anything, to put the flame out with. There was nothing so, petrified and desperate, she reached her hand out towards the fire and it went out. The fabric hung there smouldering as the fire in the grate went out as well. The whole room was getting colder. Elsa pulled her cloak around herself in a fruitless attempt to conserve warmth. The ornaments on the bookshelves were beginning to freeze and, horrified, she noticed other things were as well. It was so cold. Her breath was steaming in the air and every time she inhaled it was like ice-cold hands squeezing her lungs. She sank to the ground, arms around her chest, barely able to breathe. Every laboured gasp was agony and the floor was ice beneath her. "Help," she wheezed but nobody could hear her. She couldn't feel her own body.

The heavy oak door swung open and the Wizard let out a terrified gasp, dropping his stack of books. The entire room was coated with ice. "Elsa, what have you done?" he cried, racing over to where she lay unconscious on the floor. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. "Help! I need a doctor!" shouted Oz. Bundling Elsa in her cloak, he carried her out of the study and laid her by the fire in his room. One of the palace physicians came and felt her forehead and took her pulse. "Is she alright? Can you help her?" asked the Wizard of Oz, worry plain in his voice.

"She's still alive. Just keep her warm and pray for a miracle," advised the physician before he made his exit. Oz stoked the fire and took his young apprentice's hand. It gradually warmed up and time seemed to slow as she took a shaky breath and opened her eyes, colour flooding back into her cheeks.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"What do you remember?" Oz asked gently.

After a moment's contemplation, "the tapestry caught fire then the room froze."

"You didn't do that?"

Eyes wide, Elsa shook her head.

"If you didn't do it then who did?"

Elsa stood up and shrugged. Abruptly, Oz threw a candlestick at her. She automatically put a hand up to protect herself, and as she did a shield of ice appeared in front of her, trapping the candlestick. Panting, she stared at the hand like it was a completely separate being from herself. "I think you'll find, Elsa, that it was you," the Wizard pointed out, but the young girl didn't respond.

Her hands were shaking as she stared at the shield of ice. "I did that?" Looking unsure, she held the candlestick in one hand and passed the other over it. The shield crumbled instantly, showering the table with shards of ice. Setting down the candle, Elsa turned to the Wizard. "What do we do now?"

"I train you. You need to learn how to use this power," he told her. He then showed her to her room. After he had left, Elsa sat on the bed and stared at her hands. She felt like her entire world had fallen apart. Remembering the letter had said she would be provided with clothes, Elsa looked through the cupboards searching for a pair of gloves. If there was some way to distance herself from this power she might be able to control it. She never wanted this!

It dawned on her that she needed to calm down or her power would get out of hand. But it was going to do that anyway, she observed. The wind was getting stronger and snowflakes fluttered in the air. A room-sized blizzard. A tentative knock on the door startled her and all traces of the blizzard vanished. Swinging open, the door revealed Oscar Diggs and his apprentice paled.

"Oscar, please, I don't want to hurt you, please go," begged Elsa.

"You won't. I can-"

"I said GET OUT!" A shard of ice flew across the room and shattered against the wall.

"Listen to me, I can help you," promised the Wizard but the young girl wasn't listening. She was talking. A stream of consciousness about how she could never see he'd family again, and she was a monster who could not control herself. She was hysterical. So, left no choice and worried she was going to pass out, Oz walked up to her and slapped her in the face.

She stopped immediately and held her cheek. "You slapped me," she gasped.

Oz shrugged. "Now get some rest," he advised on his way out. "It's been a long day."

Once the door swung closed, Elsa changed into her nightdress and climbed into bed, but she didn't sleep. A million thoughts chased each other round her head and made her feel sick. Yet she much have dropped off eventually because what felt like a minute later she was being shaken awake in the grey light of dawn. "Not now," she mumbled and rolled over, but Madam Morrible had prepared for this. Elsa sat up immediately, "what was that for?" Smirking, Madam Morrible put the empty bucket of water on the nightstand and a threw a dress at the apprentice, telling her to get ready and meet her in the throne room. Elsa unfolded the dress and looked at it. It was her size and made of purple cotton. She went into the bathroom to get changed, and tied her hair in a bun to make herself feel more professional. She then made her way through the intimate corridors to the throne room which had been furnished for the occasion. Stationed in front of a desk and chair was a chalkboard with the heading 'Magical History'.

"You are fourteen," began the Wizard, "much older than most people when they begin to show magical ability…" He carried on talking but Elsa was fighting the urge to close her eyes and fall asleep. She was jerked back into wakefulness by her stomach rumbling. "Did Madam Morrible give you any breakfast?" Oz asked. When his apprentice shook her head he proposed a lunch break. As they each ate a bowl of soup, the Wizard wondered why Madam Morrible hadn't given Elsa anything to eat. And why she had insisted they start so early. Once they had both finished, the Wizard suggested they try something a little different.

"It's called the Grimmerie," he said, presenting her with an old hardback tome, pages yellowed with age.

Elsa took it and frowned at the cursive script. "I can't read this." She passed it back to him and her arms fell to her sides.

"Umm...OK. Let's try this. Repeat after me." He managed to make one of the spells and read it aloud and Elsa repeated it. As soon as the words left his lips, a gale force wind tore at the room and Elsa pulled her boss into the hallway. There was a tinkling sound followed by an almighty crash as the chandelier fell.

Elsa frantically tried to control the hurricane as Madam Morrible rushed to investigate what had happened, followed by a young boy. The wind blew itself out and Elsa sagged forwards, but the young boy caught her. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Eusabius."

"Elsa," she whispered.

"Nice to meet you. Can you stand?" Realising he was still holding her, Elsa nodded. She drew away from him as Eusabius held a finger to his lips and indicated with his head to Madam Morrible and the Wizard.

"...extremely powerful witch. We could use her to our advantage!"

"Only if we pass a law to keep a bucket of water handy in every castle," commented Oz dryly.

"We should go," whispered Eusabius, tugging on her arm. This time she shushed him.

"Madam Morrible," began Elsa. "I will not be used as a playing piece in your games and power plays. The spells in that book are dangerous and there are innumerable people in Oz whose lives you could destroy."

"Get your boyfriend and leave," spat Madam Morrible.

"Don't bring Eusabius into this," protested Elsa.

"Don't bring yourself into this," countered Madam Morrible.

" _You_ brought me into this. By trying to use my power to your advantage you brought me into this." She fixed the secretary with a steely gaze.

"What do you know of this?" asked the Wizard. "You are just a whiny little girl."

How had Madam Morrible gotten to him so quickly? wondered Elsa. Suddenly, she spotted the book of spells on the floor and slowly bent down, hoping the Wizard and Madam Morrible would be too wrapped up in each other to notice. But Oz noticed what she was doing, realised it would ruin their plan and kicked her in the stomach, almost making himself lose balance. He was feeling a bit woozy, perhaps he should not have accepted that drink from Madam Morrible. Elsa fell back and made another grab for the book. Doing the same, Oz stepped on her cloak and Elsa lost no time in lulling it out from under him, causing him to topple. In one swift movement, she rolled over, grabbed the book and made her escape.

IV.

"Find that girl!" shouted Madam Morrible to the crowd of soldiers assembled before her. "She is dangerous and powerful, do not let her leave the Emerald City!"

Eusabius watched in horror through the kitchen window. The soldiers armed themselves and headed towards the city center, and the Wizard followed Madam Morrible indoors. Eusabius put down the pan he was cleaning and headed towards the study, following the sound of raised voices.

"I don't understand why you are going to such lengths over this girl," said the Wizard as Eusabius stood with his ear against the door.

"Because, Oscar, she is a Thropp. An inheritantly powerful witch eligible for the throne of Munchkinland."

"How can you possibly know that? She's adopted!"

"Sixteen years ago my brother drove a blonde, blue-eyed baby girl from the Thropp residence to Kiamo Ko and was paid hansomly not to tell anybody. Come now, Oscar, wouldn't you like a drink?"

Elsa is a Thropp? thought Eusabius. I have to find her.

V.

Elsa sat in an alleyway, hood pulled low over her face. As an entire regiment of soldiers passed her, she shuffled closer to the wall and tried to hide in her cloak. Shortly after then soldiers had all left she saw a familiar pair of boots approaching her. Without looking at her, Eusabius murmured, "follow me, stay close."

Careful to maintain the body language of an old woman so as not to be regocnised, Elsa followed him as he led her in circles throughout the city, eventually entering a small cottage. "You're sure we weren't followed?" she asked as Eusabius knelt to light a fire.

"I wouldn't have come home if I thought we were," he replied. "Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thank you." She took off her hood and perched gracefully on the sofa, hands clasped. "I really appreciate all the trouble you went to for me."

Eusabius sat down next to her. "What the Wizard and Madam Morrible tried to do was wrong."

"I don't think it was Oz's doing. He seemed...off. I think Madam Morrible drugged him somehow."

Eusabius nodded. "That makes sense, she kept offering him drinks from this green bottle. There was something else I wanted to tell you." He cleared his throat. "After you left I overheard a conversation between the two of them, and Morrible said the reason she was so desperate to train you was because you are a Thropp."

"A Thropp?"

"The ruling family of Munch-"

"- I know who the Thropps are, Eusabius. It's just a difficult thing to get my head around."

Their conversation was cut short an insistant pounding on the door. Elsa stood up and pulled on her hood. "You said we weren't followed!"

"We weren't, this is probably just a routine check. Hide!" Elsa ran into the small adjoining bedroom as Eusabius opened the door.

"Have you seen this girl?" asked a gruff-voiced soldier.

"I have not," replied Eusabius calmly.

"Then you won't mind if we take a look around," said a second soldier.

"Yeah, that might be a problem," said Eusabius, which was followed by a grunt, a thump and the sound of something smashing.

"You're gonna regret that," growled the first soldier.

"No!" cried Elsa, running into the living room where one soldier lay unconscious on the floor next to the remains of a vase, and the other had his hand on the hilt of his sword. Elsa summoned a snowball in one hand and threw it at him as he drew his sword. The momentary distraction allowed Eusabius to move into the relative safety of the bedroom. Elsa tried to think of a way of disarming the soldier, but at that point the second soldier woke up, saw what was happening, grabbed Elsa's arms and pulled them behind her back. But she used this against him, leaning back she kicked the first soldier with all her might. He fell back against the wall. She created another snowball, but the second soldier was expecting this and grabbed her right arm. She closed her fist so the snowball disappeared and focussed all of her strength on trying to struggle out of his grip. He had to use both arms to hold her, leaving himself with no way to fight back. Elsa summoned all her power in an explosion that knocked them both back. Her head hit the wall and she clutched it with her left hand. Panting, she noticed that the soldier was staring at her and she removed her hand. Where it had been the lock of hair was slowly turning green. Hurriedly, she pulled her hood over her hair and vanished into the crowd.

VI.

Eusabius found her again outside Shiz University. "You really need to get better at hiding," he commented, leaning against the wrought-iron fence.

Elsa sighed. "My sisters are in there. Elphaba and Nessarose."

"Your brother as well. Fiyero, is it?"

She nodded. "It would be nice to say goodbye, but I can't risk endangering them all."

"Goodbye? Where are you going?"

"I heard of a place near here called Arandelle. It's quite similar, but not in contact with Oz. Nobody will know who I am. It's safer for you if you don't know anything else." She pulled him into a hug. "Thank you for everything, Eusabius."

He was about to respond when she whispered one word in his ear and pressed something into his arms. Before he could do anything, she was gone. Looking down at the book he was holding, he sighed and set of towards the palace.


End file.
